99 Towncar occasionally will not start

My 99 lincoln towncar would not start about 4 months ago. We took it into the shop and had the fuel pump replaced on it. Within one week, it did the same thing again. It turns over, but will not start occasionally, about once a month. It always happens when the car has set all day or over night. I took it back to the mechanic who hooked it up and ran all the diagnostics and cannot find anything wrong with it. Just this morning (9/6/05) it did the same exact thing - would not start. Finally after about 20 minutes it started and I drove it directly to the Lincoln dealership. They just phoned to say that they cannot find anything wrong with it. Please help, I'm desperate to see if anyone else has ever had this problem with their towncar. It only happens about once every month or two, but I never know when or where it will leave me stranded.

Not too many 1999 folks here at AF.com

Try LOL too (also), there's more later models there:

Here's the site... (http://www.lincolnsonline.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=3)

what does it do whaen u try to start it does it crank?

Yes it will crank and turn over, but will not start.

replace the starter

My 99 lincoln towncar would not start about 4 months ago. We took it into the shop and had the fuel pump replaced on it. Within one week, it did the same thing again. It turns over, but will not start occasionally, about once a month. It always happens when the car has set all day or over night. I took it back to the mechanic who hooked it up and ran all the diagnostics and cannot find anything wrong with it. Just this morning (9/6/05) it did the same exact thing - would not start. Finally after about 20 minutes it started and I drove it directly to the Lincoln dealership. They just phoned to say that they cannot find anything wrong with it. Please help, I'm desperate to see if anyone else has ever had this problem with their towncar. It only happens about once every month or two, but I never know when or where it will leave me stranded.


I HAVE THE SAME EXACT SITUATION WITH A 97 TOWN..REPLACED FUEL PUMP ETC. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CARB HAS A COMPUTER CHIP IN IT THAT REGULATES FUEL FLOW INTO IT...IF THIS GOES BAD YOUR ENGINE ACTS AS IF IT STARVING OF FUEL...IT SITS THERE AND CRANKS BUT WON'T START. SAFE BET THAT THIS IS YOUR PROBLEM....NOT THE STARTER

replace the starter

Hi Jag...
If it's cranking it won't need a new starter. The starter is what cranks it.

BTW the term "crank it over" & "cranking" comes from the old, old days when you actually had to stick a crank lever through a hole in the front of your car, onto the engine shaft, and crank that lever to start the car.

Same with airplanes, you turn on the ignition system, then get out of the plane and spin the propeller...


I HAVE THE SAME EXACT SITUATION WITH A 97 TOWN..REPLACED FUEL PUMP ETC. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CARB HAS A COMPUTER CHIP IN IT....


Hey bobby,
Welcome to the Lincolns boards :)

FYI... you don't have a Carburetor on your fuel injected Town Car.
There IS a Throttle Body that regulates air flow to your intake manifold, this sits roughly in the same location a carb would have.

hey everyone...ive had the exact same problem with my 98 Towncar and Im glad i read this and didnt replace the fuel pump. I'll tell you a really bizzare story about how i fixed this problem. There is a chip in your key that the computer reads and turns on the ignition. If anybody has ever stuck a foreign object in the key slot or accidently put their other vehicles keys in there and then realized they were the wrong ones...it can mess with the transceiver so i bought a new one and havnt had a problem since. Hope this helps...it cost me about $42 for parts.

I am having the same problem with my 2000 TC. Seems this must be a common problem. I haven't yet had any professionals look at. Last time it happened though I as able to "catch" the engine by depressing the gas pedal right after cranking and I was able to keep it going like that. After about two miniutes something suddenly kicked in and the engine was able to idle on its own. It has been fine for a few days now but I'm sure it will happen again. If anyone has any ideas other than replacing the fuel pump please post!

It seems to me if it were the fuel pump it would have stalling problems at times other than just start-up. I feel this is more likely sensor related.

Someone in another thread suggested replacing relays in the engine compatment. That would be inexpensive. I may give it a try.

Any thoughts?

Another TC owner (1998) was having the same problem. He replaced the chip in his key and has not had anymore problems since then. I have not had the opportunity to do this yet, but it's certainly worth a try. Apparently, it's around $50.00.

Good luck.

Sounds like trouble with PATS II, a sort of antitheft ignition.

New Ford Vehicles with PATS

For the 1999 model year, all Ford Motor Company vehicles equipped with the passive anti theft system will be using the PATS II system. The PATS II system was introduced on roughly half of the PATS equipped vehicles for the 1998 model year. The other half of the PATS equipped vehicles for the 1998 model year were equipped with the PATS I system. Many 2000 and later Ford Vehicles Use the E-PATS system, which uses an encrypted transponder in the key.

Hold on there... What is PATS, how does it work, and why is this important to me?

Good question. PATS is Ford Motor Company's passive anti theft system. In 1996 it started showing up on select models of Ford and Lincoln Mercury vehicles. The keys for these vehicles have a tiny radio frequency transponder imbedded in the plastic Head.

When you attempt to start the vehicle, the onboard computer sends out a RF signal that is picked up by the transponder in the key. The transponder then returns a unique RF signal to the vehicle's computer, giving it the ok for the vehicle to start and continue to run. This all happens in less than a second, and is completely transparent to the vehicle operator. It is a very effective system that does its job without the vehicle owner having to think about it, or modify his / her usual routine.

One thing the vehicle owner should think about is obtaining duplicate keys or replacing lost keys. No longer can you pick up an extra car key at the checkout stand of your favorite hardware store. Replacement keys must be originated on a new keyblank that has an embedded transponder. The vehicles onboard computer must be programmed to recognize the new key. This brings us to the "why is this important to me" part.

With PATS I, as long as you have at least one working key and can read the owners manual that came with the vehicle, you've got a good shot at programming your new key without additional assistance.

With PATS II, things become a little more difficult. Someone decided that two working keys be required for admittance to the programming show. On the surface, this is a good idea. It pretty much insures that only the owner of the vehicle will be making duplicate keys. The down side is that many vehicle owners don't think about making extra keys until they only have one, or even worse no keys!

If you own a vehicle equipped with the PATS II system and find yourself in this situation, you have a couple of choices.

Have your vehicle towed to the nearest Ford dealership. They will use their electronic programming equipment to reset the system and program in new keys.
Have an auto lock specialist who has electronic programming equipment and is qualified to use it come to your vehicle and do the same.
While option #2 is many times more convenient, neither solution is inexpensive.

Bottom line advice? If you own a PATS I equipped vehicle make sure that you always have at least two working keys. If you lose one of them, have a duplicate key made and programmed at once. PATS I equipped vehicles include the following.

Contour V6 Duratech 1998
Mustang 1996 - 1997
Taurus LX, SHO 1996 - 1997
Expedition 1997 - 1998
Mark VIII 1997
Mystique LS 1998
Navigator 1997 - 1998
Sable 1996 - 1997 (some)

If you own a PATS II equipped vehicle make sure that you always have at least three working keys. If you lose one of them, have a duplicate key made and programmed at once. PATS II equipped vehicles include the following.

Mustang 1998 - 2001
Taurus LX, SE, SHO 1998 -2001
Explorer 1998 - 2000
Expedition 1999-2001
Excursion 2000-2001
Escape 2001
Focus 2000-2001
Continental 1998 -2001
Crown Victoria 1998 - 2001
Ranger 1999 -2001 V6
F150, F250 1999 - 2001
Contour V6 1999 - 2000
Windstar 1999 -2000 (optional) 2001 All
Navigator 1999 - 2001
Town Car 1998 - 2001
Cougar 1999 - 2001
Grand Marquis 1998 - 2001
LS6, LS8 1999-2001
Mark VIII 1998
Mountaineer 1998 - 2001
Mystique LS 1999 -2000
Sable 1998 - 2001 (some)

LT hit it on the head. Thats what was wrong with mine which i tried explaining earlier. Except it wasnt the transponder in the key itself it was the reader in the ignition. Replace this and you will be fine. I replaced mine about 2 weeks ago and havnt had any problems since...I will keep everyone posted.